Warriors : In the Sight of the Hungry Beast
by Mossfeather of ThunderClan
Summary: A dark, mysterious beast is roaming the lush forests of MossClan, slowly killing off all the cats around the Mossy Forest territories. How long until it exterminates the whole Clan? Or can the remaining cats of MossClan stop it first?
1. Allegiances and Prologue

_A/N: New story! I lost my password to this account so I couldn't update Mosskit's Second Chance. I lost inspiration temporarily and it's on an unofficial hiatus, at least until I write the next chapter…anyway this story is inspired by my forum's role-play, _**In the Sight of the Hungry Beast**_. I was really happy with this plot idea, so I decided to turn it into a story. Enjoy! Read and review; it really makes me glad to see that people enjoy reading my writing._

…

**MossClan**

_MossClan is one of two Clans that live in the Mossy Forest territories. MossClan is settled on a rocky mountainside, where the ground is covered in moss and tall, redwood trees stretch high above the cats' heads. Ferns and other foliage is common, though brambles are rarely seen. Rose bushes and other flower plants are all over the hillside. The camp is in a hollow (coated with moss) near the northern side of the territory. The dens are made out of twigs woven together and covered with moss. The leader sleeps in a hollow on the side of one redwood tree that grows in the absolute center of camp. There are lots of berry bushes lining the sides of the camp, and the occasional wolf breaks in at night. There's a stream running south down through the territory. They get lots of owls, and mist during leafbare, as well as lots of snow and rain. There is one willow tree growing at the Starpond, the place where the medicine cats from both Clans communicate with StarClan. Hawks, falcons, eagles and other various birds are common. Everything seems to like the Mossy Forest, even if the species isn't intended to thrive there._

LEADER: **Owlstar**: an old, light brown tabby tom with white paws and yellow eyes, intelligent, wise and proud

DEPUTY: **Mistfeather**: a lean, light grey she-cat with white chest fur, paws and ear tips, light green eyes, bold, smart, skilled

MEDICINE CAT: **Tawnyspark**: a pretty, tawny she-cat with a white tail tip and amber eyes, forgiving, considerate and

MEDICINE CAT APPRENTICE: **Snowpaw**: a handsome, white tom with a silver ear tip and frosty blue eyes, unsupportive, greedy and untrusting

WARRIORS:

**Woodfang**: a muscular, dark brown tom with light brown tabby stripes, a white tail tip and green eyes, harsh and intense but discouraged easily

**Ripplepelt**: a beautiful, silver she-cat with wavy, light grey tabby stripes, a white underside and light blue eyes, artistic, nurturing and shy

**Jaystripe**: a stunning, blue-grey tom with a grey stripe running down his spine, grey paws and hazel eyes, worried, wacky and hard to understand

**Lakefur**: a young, silver-grey she-cat with a white underside and stunning, frosty-blue eyes, determined, open-minded, understanding

**Daisyshadow**: a long-furred, cream-colored she-cat with golden-yellow eyes and one white patch on her left flank, shining hazel eyes, happy, determined and creative

**Wolftooth**: a tall, white-and-grey tom with a silver rings on his tail and sharp yellow eyes and oddly white teeth, sarcastic, resilient, fierce _(Apprentice: Russetpaw)_

**Berrystream**: a small, dark ginger she-cat with a silver stripe down her spine and leaf-green eyes, easy-going and friendly but has strong opinions

**Willowstep**: a gorgeous, white she-cat with long silver legs and stunning, light blue eyes, proud, arrogant, slightly stuck-up _(Apprentice: Spotpaw)_

**Hollowtail**: a short, cream-and-brown tom with short, stubby legs and a long, white-tipped tail, ugly amber-brown eyes, shy, kind and easily hurt, born in a hollow outside of Clan territory, mother a rogue, father unknown, mother died during kitting his brother, who also died

**Windfang**: a lean, light brown tabby tom with a white face and striking blue eyes, rude, arrogant and proud, though he likes kits

**Flowerleap**: a golden-yellow she-cat with long, feathery fur and a ginger face, green eyes, funny, friendly, outgoing

**Lilyflame**: a soft-furred, white-and-cream she-cat with dark golden eyes, fierce, smart and friendly

APPRENTICES:

**Russetpaw**: a short-furred, russet-colored she-cat with white chest fur and hazel eyes, funny and intelligent, doesn't want to hurt anybody's feelings

**Spotpaw**: a short-furred, russet-colored she-cat with a white spot on her left flank and hazel eyes, sarcastic, smart, can be slightly stuck-up at times

QUEENS:

**Featherfoot**: a light-framed, silver-and-brown she-cat with green eyes, gentle, friendly, slightly over-protective (Mother to Hollowtail's kit Weaselkit)

KITS:

**Weaselkit**: a small, cream-and-brown tom with blue-green eyes, gentle, friendly,

ELDERS:

**Hawkeye**: a dark brown tabby tom with a white underside and one sharp yellow eye, grumpy, sarcastic and rude

**Yellowfur**: a young, yellow-gold she-cat with blind amber eyes, a missing back leg, a missing ear and only half of her tail

**ForestClan**

_ForestClan lives on a flat stretch of land covered__with redwood trees. There are many streams running through their territory, and they tend to eat fish more than live prey. The cats are excellent climbers and dominant fighters. They have less wildlife than MossClan, but they do have moose and deer, unlike their enemy Clan. Their camp is inside a circle of close-growing redwood trees, and the dens are all made into a tree on the outskirts of camp. The leaders' den is in the biggest tree, and the medicine cats' in the second-biggest. Apprentice training is shared throughout all the warriors._

LEADER: **Moosestar**: a dark brown she-cat with short, soft fur and dappled flanks, white paws and friendly amber eyes, kind and forgiving, but can be fierce when defending her Clan

DEPUTY: **Lightningtail**: a golden tabby tom with a white face and a broken tail he got when he was an apprentice, amber eyes, strict, orderly and reserved

MEDICINE CAT: **Dapplewing**: a silver she-cat with dappled flanks, a white underside and icy blue eyes

MEDICINE CAT APPRENTICE: **Applepaw**: a dark ginger tom with one white ear tip and bright, leaf-green eyes, kind, funny, rather clueless when it comes to some things

WARRIORS:

**Rabbitfoot**: a dull, pale grey tom with white patches and light, minty-green eyes, fast, friendly and a good hunter

**Runningbreeze**: a fast, black-and-white tom with amber eyes, strict, cold and distant, very speedy and a great hunter

**Hailcloud**: a dark grey she-cat with a white underside and light blue eyes, friendly, forgiving and understanding

**Brindlepelt**: a dark brown brindle she-cat with pale green eyes and one white forepaw, kind, strict and smart

**Shadeheart**: a dark grey, almost black, tabby tom with amber eyes, cold, distant, unforgiving and harsh, but very passionate about caring for his Clan, most cats are unsure why he was given the name 'Shadeheart'

**Sunblaze**: a golden tabby tom with bright green eyes and white paws, passionate, fierce, and friendly

**Grassclaw**: a dark brown tabby tom with bright, forest-green eyes, strong, reserved, rather distant

**Icetalon**: a bulky white tom with icy-blue eyes and very long claws, deaf in his left ear, harsh, unsociable, unforgiving _(Apprentice: Creampaw)_

**Fernshade**: a dark brown she-cat with very dark, almost black, green eyes, reserved and shy, but kind once she warms up to you

**Rockfoot**: a big, bulky tom with dark grey, almost black fur and piercing, silver-grey eyes, quiet, reserved, generally unfriendly

**Nettleleaf**: a black she-cat with one russet paw and one white paw, leaf-green eyes, warm-hearted, understanding and goofy

**Flamestrike**: a large, bright ginger tom with dark yellow, almost golden eyes and white chest fur, harsh, cold, unforgiving, distant, strict and almost cruel

**Duskstorm**: a dark golden tom with yellow eyes and one ginger patch on his right shoulder, brave, friendly, strong and motivated

APPRENTICES:

**Stripepaw**: a white tom with dark brown tabby stripes and grass-green eyes, friendly, shy and goofy

**Creampaw**: a cream she-cat with light brown paws and friendly, yellow eyes, kind, shy, goofy

QUEENS:

**Fawnstep**: a light, golden-brown she-cat with slightly dappled fur and bright, friendly green eyes, shy, compassionate, understanding (Mother to Duskstorm's kits Stagkit, Doekit and Deerkit)

KITS:

**Stagkit**: a dark, golden-brown tom with heavily dappled flanks and kit-blue eyes, bold, outgoing, smart

**Doekit**: a light golden-tawny she-cat with dappled flanks and kit-blue eyes, shy, kind, naive

**Deerkit**: a golden-brown she-cat with lightly dappled fur and kit-blue eyes, shy, compassionate, funny

ELDERS:

**Blizzardtooth**: a white tom with speckled grey fur and bright, sky-blue eyes, bold, courageous and proud

**Sorrelflight**: a lean, sorrel she-cat with white paws and bright green eyes, kind and fast but can be snappy when angered

…

**Prologue**

A large, dark shape stalked through the forests of MossClan. It ducked behind a tree as a patrol of cats passed. It watched them with glowing eyes, following after ever-so-silently. The cats split up to 'hunt,' as they said. Well, the hunters were about to be hunted.

The dark shape tackled a smaller, light one. The light one let out a horrible scream before the dark shape killed it with a bite to the neck. It tore out the limbs one-by-one, tearing the flesh from the bones. It only left the head intact. It kicked the bones to the side, then continued on its way, stalking the rest of the patrol.

It quickly found a large, meaty cat tracking a squirrel. The dark shape leapt in front of the cat, and the last thing the cat heard was the dark shape snarling menacingly.

The dark shape ripped out the cat's throat and devoured the flesh, quicker than last time. It left the head untouched, as was its tradition. Satisfied, the dark shape ambled off to its home outside of MossClan territory, satisfied.

…

_A/N: Done! It was _super _short but that's all I wanted/needed to write. So, first chapter coming very soon!_


	2. Chapter One

_A/N: Response to Reviews:_

**Indigostartherandomkitty**: yes, yes it has.

**Frostfire of ThunderClan**: good to see you're back on FFN! And thanks.

…

**Chapter 1**

Mistfeather awoke to the sound of screaming. She quickly got to her paws and ducked out of the den, racing over to the center of camp, where Berrystream was holding the severed head of her kit, Russetpaw.

"It got her!" she screamed, "The beast, it got her!"

The camp gasped collectively and cats flooded out of their dens, rushing over to the horrified mother. Spotpaw padded into camp, setting eyes upon the head of her russet-colored sister.

"Russetpaw!" she screeched, dropping her freshly-caught mouse and racing over to her mother, "It got her!"

Russetpaw's father and mentor, Wolftooth, padded over from Owlstar's den, with the light brown tabby leader padding behind him.

"Russetpaw," he meowed softly, "She's gone…"

"We have to do something!" Suddenly, Mistfeather spoke to her father, "It's going to break into camp soon, I bet!"

"Wolves are the only thing that break into camp," Owlstar shook his head, "This beast…it likes to stalk cats. It's not going to storm our camp."

"We still need to do something, at least figure out what it is!" the light grey she-cat protested.

"We can't!" Owlstar growled, "It'll kill whoever goes. I am not sending my warriors to their deaths."

Mistfeather turned away, sighing in exasperation, "You don't even care."

Silence, then, "You don't think I care that every day, one of my cats is being murdered? You don't think I care? Well, I care. I am just smart enough not to purposely send my warriors to their doom!"

Mistfeather ignored her outraged father and padded away, "Forget it. I'll do something myself if you're not going to."

"No, you won't," Owlstar threatened, "I already lost your mother and your brothers. I am _not _losing my kit or my deputy."

"Then what if I'm not your deputy?" Mistfeather turned to Owlstar, "I care about my Clan enough to risk my life, unlike you."

"I'd risk my life to kill this beast in an instant!" Owlstar growled, "If it was possible. That thing is…_immortal_! It can't be killed!"

"It _can_!" Mistfeather protested, "We don't even know what it is!"

"Exactly!" the light brown tabby tom yowled, "So we can't risk fighting it until we know what it is."

"How are we going to know what it is if you don't let me try to find out?" Mistfeather spoke calmly this time, regaining her composure, "I want to help my Clan."

"No," Owlstar replied firmly, "Not taking a chance. Go organize a burial crew for Russetpaw."

"You're a heartless rat," Mistfeather hissed, spinning on her heel and padding away, unaware of all the looks she was getting from her fellow Clanmates.

Owlstar sighed sadly and padded back to his den, shaking his head slowly.

"You're right," Lilyflame sidled up to her best friend, "We need to do something. I'm not letting this…this beast kill of any of my friends! Russetpaw and I were apprentices together!"

"I'm glad you want to help," Mistfeather started, "But you're too young. We need older, experienced warriors to kill the cat."

"I have as much experience in _fighting _as older warirors!" the white she-cat protested, "Remember when I fought off that wolf, all by myself?"

"Fair point," Mistfeather meowed, "When, or _if_, Owlstar sends out warriors, I'll make sure to tell him to bring you."

"Thanks."

The pair ducked into the elders' den. The two elders in there were Hawkeye and Yellowfur. Hawkeye was missing one eye, and Yellowfur was missing a back leg, a right ear and half of her tail; she was also blind. She had narrowly escaped an encounter with the beast.

"Russetpaw's been taken," she broke the grave news, "We need you to bury her."

"Poor young cat," Hawkeye croaked, "Just like Redpaw."

Mistfeather cringed when Hawkeye brought up the subject of Redpaw. Redpaw had been Russetpaw and Spotpaw's sister, and Mistfeather's apprentice. She had been one of the first known victims to the beast.

Hawkeye rose to his paws and padded out of the den.

"I wish I could help," Yellowfur started, but was cut off.

"I know," Mistfeather meowed, glancing at the young elder sympathetically, then ducking out of the den, hearing a sad sigh from behind her.

Hawkeye was leading Wolftooth and Berrystream to one corner of camp, where all the dead apprentices were buried. So far, only Redpaw was there, but now her sister would be joining her.

Mistfeather couldn't bear to watch as they placed the young cats' head in the hole, so instead she turned away and padded to the fresh-kill pile, not to eat, but to plot.

"Lilyflame!" Mistfeather beckoned her friend over here, "Get Flowerleap. We've got to all do something."

The white-and-cream she-cat pulled the golden-yellow she-cat away from the warriors' den and led her over to Mistfeather.

"What?" Flowerleap asked, sitting down.

Mistfeather quickly explained the plan she had devised to Flowerleap and Lilyflame. Lilyflame sighed submissively, agreeing silently.

Flowerleap got a grin on her face and narrowed her eyes, "Let's do this."

"We're going hunting!" Mistfeather called out. Owlstar narrowed his eyes, but nodded briskly.

"We need to set the trap first," Lilyflame ordered, taking control, "Who's going to catch the rabbit?"

"Me," Flowerleap meowed, "I'll go."

"Good."

The yellow-gold she-cat sprinted off into the forest, paws sinking into the lush green moss carpeting the ground.

Lilyflame and Mistfeather sat down, not wanting to disturb any prey that might be in the area, incase Flowerleap was hunting near where they had started off.

They waited for quite some while before they heard rustling in the bushes. They got to their paws, the sharp claws inside of them instinctively unsheathing.

Flowerleap pushed through the bushes with a white hare dangling from her jaws, "Got it."

"Good," Mistfeather tore into the rabbit and spread its blood around the clearing, scattering the limbs around, "Now, for the actual trap…"

The cats took lots of brambles and laid them out across the clearing, like a net. The rabbit was in the center. The cats also took holly branches and laid them out across the grid-like trap.

"If holly is poisonous to cats," Mistfeather set the last branch down, loaded with berries, "They should be poisonous to the beast, too."

"Unless the beast isn't a cat," Lilyflame meowed.

"When the beast goes for the rabbit, it will crush the holly berries and step on the brambles. It'll be immobilized and poisoned. Then we can come finish it off," Flowerleap recited the plan.

"Yes," the light grey deputy meowed, "We'll come back in the morning. Until then, let's catch some prey and go back to camp."

…


End file.
